Just came from Tony Sparano’s first news conference of this Miami Dolphins workweek, and it’s clear Chris Clemons has to show more to wrap up that starting free safety spot.

Wrapping up, as a matter of fact, is pretty much the last piece for Clemons, the second-year man out of Clemson, to convince the coaching staff he is the logical successor to Gibril Wilson.

“He missed one tackle, which was clear,” Sparano said. “He missed the tackle on the quarterback on the third-down situation [late in the first quarter]. You guys saw that. That’s the one that he missed.”

Didn’t help that Bucs quarterback Josh Freeman got loose on that third-and-16 play from the Tampa 11 and rambled for 18 yards and a first down when the Dolphins had him trapped near the line.

“I told Chris this,” Sparano said. “Chris knows this, and I know that Mike [Nolan] has talked to Chris about this, but those are the ones you want to make. I saw the kid make three or four other [tackles] during the course of the game, make one on special teams.

“I’m not telling you it’s something I’m not worried about. I want him to make those plays in those situations. That is an evaluator, and we’re going to need to see him make that play.”